Railway worker John Gillard, who was brought up in the Vale of Neath, passed away in Adelaide on Saturday morning after battling a long illness.

After his death, Ms Gillard left a political summit in Russia to return home to her family.

His death was announced by the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, in Vladivostok.

At the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) leaders’ summit, Ms Gillard issued a short statement which read: “My father was my inspiration. He taught me that nothing comes without hard work and demonstrated to me what hard work meant as a shift worker with two jobs.

“He taught me to be passionate about fairness. He taught me to believe in Labor and in trade unionism.

“But above all, he taught me to love learning and to understand its power to change lives.

“He always regretted his family background meant he had not proceeded on to higher education as a young man.

“He was determined that I had the opportunities he was denied. I will miss him for the rest of my life.”

When the family migrated to Australia in 1966, he changed career path and became a psychiatric nurse.

Mr Gillard, who names Aneurin Bevan as one of his political heroes, was one of the main influences on his daughter’s political life.

Upon hearing that his daughter had become Australia’s first female Prime Minister in June 2010 - toppling former leader Kevin Rudd in a Labor Party coup - Mr Gillard told an Australian newspaper it was “a privilege to have your daughter in the highest office in the land.”

And throughout his daughter’s tenure, both her parents have remained at her side during her most turbulent times.

She clung onto power in the country’s federal election in August 2010 with a 76-74 minority government and was criticised in 2011 for her controversial $90,000 pay rise.

She was also escorted by bodyguards through a crowd of rowdy protesters following a ceremony to mark Australia’s national day in Canberra.

But she says her parents, who gave her the will to succeed in politics, were one of her greatest source of strength.